In a report, Mr Clarke said the death rate at the jail was ‘tragic and appalling’.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We have taken significant steps in recent months to address the issues faced by HMP Nottingham. These include providing bespoke training to 10 officers dedicated to supporting those with mental health issues, while NHS England are investing an extra £200,000 in mental health services at the prison.

“Across the prison estate, we are spending an additional £40million on safety and security measures including x-ray scanners, drug-detection dogs and phone-blocking technology, and Nottingham now has four dedicated substance misuse officers.

“The prison has recruited an extra 79 prison officers in the last two years and to help retain experienced officers we’ve given them the biggest pay rise in a decade.”

HMP Nottingham is a male category B prison, which takes offenders from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire courts, and has a capacity of 1,060 inmates.